Florida Man Arrested Accused Of Shooting Cousin Over Parking Space

A Florida man has been arrested by Miami Police, accused of shooting his cousin four times following a dispute over a parking space.

The 51-year-old was arrested on charges of attempted felony murder and causing injury with a firearm, grand theft of a firearm, and discharging a firearm in an outdoor or residential area, according to a Miami Police report obtained by Newsweek.

The report states that officers received an emergency call that a man had been shot at around 11.30 p.m. on July 27. When police arrived at the home, a man was found to be suffering from gunshot wounds. A second man stated at the scene that he was the one who shot his cousin, the report goes on to say. The police arrested him immediately.

The police report states the victim disclosed that the two men had been arguing about parking spaces before the shooting, with the victim asking the defendant to move his car.

After an exchange in Spanish, the victim was shot in the wrist, resulting in a graze, and shot three times in the left thigh, the police report states.

The victim then said he ran into the bedroom and locked himself inside, and alleged his cousin threatened to kill him.

At this stage, the police were contacted.

According to the police, the two men had been living together at the address for one year.

A record check revealed that the firearm used in the incident was reported stolen on September 19, 2021, out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, according to the police.

Gun violence is an ongoing issue in the U.S. and was declared a public health crisis by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in a new advisory issued on Tuesday. He also stated gun violence has been the leading cause of death among Americans aged between 1 and 19 since 2020. This places gun violence as a greater killer of young Americans than vehicle accidents, poisoning (both drug and non-drug-related), and cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Florida recorded 3,232 firearms deaths in 2022, the most recent data available. The state is ranked at a death rate of 14, tied with Wisconsin. According to the same data, the fewest gun deaths occurred in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, with rankings of 3.1 and 3.7 respectively, while the states with the most gun-related deaths were New Mexico (27.3), Louisiana (28.2), and Mississippi (29.6).

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